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Showing posts from April, 2020

Worldwide smartphone sales showed 'biggest decline ever' in Q1 2020

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The impact of COVID-19 on smartphone sales was drastic, as market analysts noted shipments worldwide dropped by millions in the last few months. While manufacturers are typically nonspecific about sales numbers, IDC’s Quarterly Mobile Phone tracker n... source https://www.engadget.com/worldwide-smartphone-sales-showed-biggest-decline-ever-in-q-1-2020-052929564.html

Walmart's two-hour Express Delivery is coming to thousands of stores

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Walmart has introduced a faster delivery service called Express Delivery, which can get your orders to your door in less than two hours. In its announcement, the retail giant said it accelerated the service’s development in the wake of the coronaviru... source https://www.engadget.com/walmart-express-delivery-034447503.html

Netflix removes a 'Designated Survivor' episode in Turkey

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Netflix has removed an episode of the political thriller Designated Survivor from its streaming service in Turkey following a demand from a regulator. It did so to comply with local law, it told Variety in a statement.The episode in question, the sev... source https://www.engadget.com/netflix-designated-survivor-turkey-takedown-023141013.html

Amazon details the war mechanics of its 'New World' MMO

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Amazon’s New World MMO will apparently have an intricately detailed war system, based on the company’s latest post about the game. As part of New World’s Developer Diary Series, Amazon has revealed how players will be able to wage war against each ot... source https://www.engadget.com/amazon-new-world-mmo-war-mechanics-011403946.html

Epic cancels 2020 Fortnite World Cup

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Epic is the next big game developer cutting physical esports tourneys from its schedule as it deals with the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has canceled the 2020 Fortnite World Cup outright in addition to moving all other Fortnite ev... source https://www.engadget.com/epic-cancels-fortnite-world-cup-2020-235339013.html

GDC Summer will go all-digital

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Earlier this year, the annual Game Developer’s Conference that was set to occur in March was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Later, GDC 2020 organizers said that it would be postponed to August under the new moniker of “GDC Summer.” Now, it... source https://www.engadget.com/gdc-summer-digital-234407420.html

Reddit pulls back chat rooms after angering moderators

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Just one day after launching a new chat room feature, Reddit has reversed course and pulled it entirely following an outcry from the site’s moderators. The company yanked “Start Chatting,” which aimed to create small, randomized chat rooms within the... source https://www.engadget.com/reddit-pulls-start-chatting-after-angering-moderators-231655861.html

Oculus sales are booming despite stock shortages

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When Facebook announced its latest financial results on Wednesday, it came as no surprise that the company said demand for advertising was down. But unexpectedly there was also a silver lining thanks to its virtual reality business.The company's non-... source https://www.engadget.com/oculus-sales-helped-facebook-other-revenue-q1-2020-153536976.html

'Assassin's Creed Valhalla' arrives this holiday on Xbox Series X and PS5

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Following yesterday’s Photoshop teaser, Ubisoft has shared the first cinematic trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. When the game comes out this holiday season, you’ll be able to play it on both current-generation — PlayStation 4 and Xbox One — and... source https://www.engadget.com/assassins-creed-valhalla-trailer-153127414.html

Facebook lets users in the US and Canada move media to Google Photos

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Facebook users in the US and Canada can now transfer their photos and videos to Google Photos thanks to a new data portability tool. The feature is part of the Data Transfer Project, an agreement between Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter to sim... source https://www.engadget.com/facebook-google-photos-data-transfer-151513103.html

Is the Connect Smart Grilling Hub a great tool for outdoor cooking?

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There are a lot of devices that tack on a bit of tech and connect to an app in order to enter the ‘smart’ market, whether or not there’s any value in doing so. However, Weber’s Connect Smart Grilling Hub isn’t one of those. When Senior Editor Billy S... source https://www.engadget.com/weber-connect-smart-grilling-hub-user-reviews-wanted-150029871.html

'Burnout Paradise Remastered' hits Switch on June 19th

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It emerged last month that Burnout Paradise Remastered would arrive on Nintendo Switch sometime this year. EA has narrowed down that timeframe a bit. The port of the open-world racing game will be out on June 19th and it'll cost $50. Preorders are op... source https://www.engadget.com/burnout-paradise-remastered-nintendo-switch-release-date-145512786.html

Sonos can now stream free audiobooks from your local library

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Even if social distancing has helped you to achieve the nigh impossible task of watching your entire Netflix queue, there’s still a trove of media to consume. Sonos has teamed up with OverDrive -- makers of the audiobook lending app Libby -- to let c... source https://www.engadget.com/sonos-libby-library-audiobooks-143736349.html

USB 4 will fully support DisplayPort 2, including 8K HDR monitors

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USB 4 is just around the corner and ready to leave USB 3.2 in the dust with double the speeds. Now, VESA has announced that it will fully support the massive bandwidth available for the DisplayPort 2.0 standard as well. That means USB 4 will work wit... source https://www.engadget.com/usb-4-displayport2-8k-hdr-133040492.html

Motorola Edge Plus review: It’s... fine?

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Motorola is great at cheap, reliable phones. The expensive stuff, not so much. Consider the brand's track record: Motorola built the high-end Moto Z and Z Force four years ago, which relied on snap-on accessories called Moto Mods to rise above a sea... source https://www.engadget.com/motorola-edge-plus-review-endless-edge-screen-5g-130039462.html

LinkedIn has an AI to help make you better at job interviews

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If you’re searching for a job during these challenging times, LinkedIn might be able to help. Microsoft’s social network has unveiled AI-powered tools that can help you both meet potential employers and prepare for any tricky interview questions.Firs... source https://www.engadget.com/linkedin-ai-interview-feedback-130039759.html

Intel's flagship 10th-gen desktop CPU has 10 cores, reaches 5.3GHz

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It's about time. After months of leaks and rumors, Intel has pulled back the curtain on its 10th generation "S-series" desktop chips, with the Core i9-10900K leading the pack. For $488, you'll get a 10-core processor that can reach up to 5.3GHz, with... source https://www.engadget.com/intel-10th-gen-s-series-desktop-cpu-10900k-130000913.html

HTC's Vive Sync beta offers businesses free access to VR meetings

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HTC’s Vive Sync collaboration platform is now in open beta, giving businesses a way to hold meetings in VR at a time when people are meeting online more than ever. The company even made the app free to use for businesses of all sizes throughout the b... source https://www.engadget.com/htc-vive-sync-beta-free-vr-meetings-120125825.html

Xbox Game Pass clears 10 million subscribers

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Microsoft's bet on subscription gaming appears to be paying off. The company has revealed that more than 10 million people now pay for Xbox Game Pass, a buffet-style service with an ever-changing library of first- and third-party titles. Microsoft la... source https://www.engadget.com/xbox-game-pass-10-million-subscribers-114529988.html

Twitter sees record user growth, thanks to COVID-19

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Twitter is reporting a record increase in its daily user figures as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic of 24 percent, up to 166 million. That’s a big jump on the 134 million it was counting at the start of 2019 and the 152 million monetizable dai... source https://www.engadget.com/twitter-q1-2020-112603005.html

The Morning After: Facebook.com is about to show off a new look

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Whether you’re in an office or at home, there’s a decent chance you’ve been wasting time on Facebook.com. After going years without a major redesign, the company is rolling out a rebuilt page with a new look, so Nick Summers talked to engineers about... source https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-tesla-facebook-office-for-ipad-111548760.html

Epic Games Store gets local pricing in five more countries

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You can now pay for Epic Games Store purchases in your own currency if you’re in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The developer’s digital storefront now supports AUD, CAD, DKK, NOK and SEK, bringing the total number of currencies it acc... source https://www.engadget.com/epic-games-store-new-currencies-152049023.html

'Luigi's Mansion 3' adds more multiplayer minigames with new DLC

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Last year Nintendo promised a two-part release of extra content for Luigi’s Mansion 3, all scheduled to arrive before July 31st. Part one of the $10 DLC pack went on sale in early March, and now Part 2 is here.Both halves of the DLC add three additio... source https://www.engadget.com/luigi-mansion-3-multiplayer-minigames-dlc-081505181.html

Raspberry Pi's improved camera module supports interchangeable lenses

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Raspberry Pi has launched a new high-quality, interchangeable lens camera for budding photographers or folks who want to learn how integrate a camera into their build projects. It comes with a 7.9mm (Type 1/2.3) Sony IMX477 12.3-megapixel back-illumi... source https://www.engadget.com/raspberry-pi-12-megapixel-c-mount-camera-084145607.html

Microsoft Office for iPad tests multi-window support

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Microsoft will soon make it easier to juggle multiple Word documents and PowerPoint presentations for iOS users. The tech giant has given Office Insiders the ability to open multiple Word and PowerPoint windows side-by-side on an iPad.Insiders can ac... source https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-office-for-i-pad-multiwindow-support-063525489.html

Extreme E races will have male and female driver changeovers

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The format for Extreme E, an off-road motorsport by the creators of Formula E, just got a little more interesting. Today, organizers revealed that each team will have two drivers — a man and a woman — competing in the same vehicle. They also confirme... source https://www.engadget.com/extreme-e-motorsport-male-female-driver-changeover-format-050052533.html

Balmuda's $329 steam-based toaster finally arrives in the US

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Just how much do you value your toast in the morning? Enough that you’d pay top dollar to have a near-ideal texture every time? You now have a chance to prove your commitment. Japanese brand Balmuda has released its fabled The Toaster in the US, maki... source https://www.engadget.com/balmuda-the-toaster-arrives-in-us-035224029.html

British Museum makes over half of its collection viewable online

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You can’t visit museums in person during pandemic lockdowns, but you might not have to for one of the most prestigious institutions. The British Museum has made (via Motherboard) images of more than half its collection (4.5 million objects) available... source https://www.engadget.com/british-museum-free-artifiact-images-023917176.html

Uber AI plays any Atari 2600 game with 'superhuman' skill

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DeepMind isn’t the only one with an Atari-savvy AI. A team of Uber AI researchers has developed a set of algorithms, Go-Explore, that reportedly beats any Atari 2600 game with “superhuman” scores, including ones where AI previously had trouble bestin... source https://www.engadget.com/uber-ai-masters-atari-games-012832222.html

Tesla's 'full self-driving' feature is coming in subscription form

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During the Q1 2020 earnings call on Wednesday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the company’s “Full Self-Driving” system will become available as a monthly subscription later this year.Tesla has been installing the necessary hardware for its autono... source https://www.engadget.com/tesla-earnings-q1-2020-235416562.html

Stanford University lab repurposes scuba gear into reusable PPE

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Bioengineering professor Manu Prakash runs a lab at Stanford University that uses low-cost materials to create effective scientific devices. He returned from a recent vacation with some scuba gear -- as well as a cold. While he tested negative for CO... source https://www.engadget.com/stanford-scuba-mask-face-shield-154353874.html

MSI GS66 Stealth review: A 300Hz gaming laptop in a crowded field

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MSI wowed us with the GS65 Stealth Thin two years ago -- it was the lightest gaming laptop we'd ever seen, with a sleek design and some powerful hardware. So you'd think its sequel, the GS66 Stealth, would easily be a slam dunk. But the gaming laptop... source https://www.engadget.com/msi-gs66-stealth-review-gaming-laptop-153023448.html

SiriusXM extends free Premium streaming offer through May

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Last month, SiriusXM announced that its premium channels would be available for free for six weeks, ending May 15th. The idea was to reach audiences in their homes, rather than their cars since fewer people are on the road. It’s now clear that, in ma... source https://www.engadget.com/siriusxm-extends-free-premium-streaming-151337227.html

Facebook releases its 'Blender' chatbot as an open-source project

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The virtual assistants that inhabit our smartphones are helpful, sure, but they’re not going to pass the Turing test any time soon. They’re designed for understanding specific commands and actions like checking on restaurant reservations or getting u... source https://www.engadget.com/facebook-chatbot-ai-open-source-blender-150001320.html

Deezer tries using AI to find the naughty words in songs

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You normally need to listen to a song or read its lyrics to tell if it’s using explicit language, but Deezer thinks AI might be up to the job before long. The streaming music service is researching a machine learning technique that would detect expli... source https://www.engadget.com/deezer-ai-explicit-song-lyrics-144637842.html

Subscription services sell artisanal food, too

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Some of the best chocolate in the country is made just outside Boston, in Somerville, Massachusetts, by a one-man shop that uses only the highest-quality cocoa beans and sugar, spinning the nibs into smooth deliciousness on tiny machines. Every three... source https://www.engadget.com/subscription-services-artisanal-food-143056394.html

Get two Google Nest Hubs for the price of one, again

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If you need help mastering new recipes or a new way to listen to podcasts and audiobooks, Google’s Nest Hub might be a good quarantine purchase. The Google smart display usually costs $100, but QVC is currently selling a two-pack for $100. We’ve seen... source https://www.engadget.com/google-nest-hub-smart-display-sale-141459966.html

NHS healthcare workers in the UK have been given free access to 85,000 games

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Frontline health workers in the UK are being given free access to video games by some of the biggest companies in the gaming industry, as a thank you for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative, Games for Carers, has been backed by... source https://www.engadget.com/nhs-staff-in-the-uk-have-been-given-free-access-to-85000-games-140052476.html

Why Facebook redesigned Facebook.com

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If you haven't got it already, you soon will.Twelve months ago, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a major redesign of the company's behemoth social network. Dubbed 'The New Facebook,' or FB5, it was a visual marker for the company's pivot toward... source https://www.engadget.com/facebook-web-browser-redesign-interview-133006571.html

‘Valorant’ is harvesting talent from stagnating esports

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Yesterday, the reigning MVP of Overwatch esports, Jay “sinatraa” Won, confirmed rumors and announced he was leaving his $150,000-a-year deal with San Francisco Shock for a pro career in Riot Games’ new first-person-shooter Valorant. It’s a huge deal... source https://www.engadget.com/valorant-esports-sinatraa-transfer-130004052.html

A Photoshop livestream is slowly revealing the next Assassin's Creed

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In the absence of trade shows and other physical preview events, publishers are getting creative with their video game marketing. Today, Ubisoft casually launched a livestream that will reveal the setting of the next Assassin's Creed game. But here's... source https://www.engadget.com/assassins-creed-setting-adobe-photoshop-livestream-reveal-173851148.html

‘Minecraft Earth’ adds seasonal challenges for its AR builders

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Minecraft Earth, Microsoft’s blocky answer to Pokémon Go, continues to evolve despite still being in Early Access mode. The latest update adds three important new features to challenge players and make it easier to keep track of past feats. Are you... source https://www.engadget.com/minecraft-earth-season-challenges-123004748.html

Cooper FX's multi-effect guitar pedal uses tiny cartridges

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Cooper FX has just announced Arcades, a guitar pedal that changes its tune with SD card-sized swapable cartridges. Inspired by vintage video game consoles (hence the name) Arcades aims to negate some of the cost involved in traditional pedals — the b... source https://www.engadget.com/cooper-fx-multieffect-guitar-pedal-uses-tiny-cartridges-120026655.html

The Morning After: How to buy a monitor

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Going to the movies was a thing we used to do -- and may do again in the future. However, if you’re going to an AMC theater anywhere in the world, you won’t find any Universal films. The theater chain declared war once NBCUniversal execs told The Wal... source https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-template-111911498.html

Fairphone 3 can now be bought with a ‘de-googled’ OS

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Fairphone is teaming up with /e/OS to launch a “de-googled” version of its flagship smartphone, the Fairphone 3. This new handset has the same hardware features as the regular Fairphone, but without Google’s online services. The idea is to create a p... source https://www.engadget.com/fairphone-3-e-os-privacy-phone-110033402.html

Spotify users are flocking to ‘chill’ playlists during COVID-19

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“Every day now looks like the weekend,” says Spotify's newest financial report, and one of the earliest looks at how COVID-19 impacts streaming businesses. The music and podcast company, as expected, saw user growth increase, with 286 million total u... source https://www.engadget.com/spotify-q1-2020-financials-103421279.html

Google Meet will soon be free for anyone with a Gmail account

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You’ll soon be able to access Google Meet for free even if you’re not a G Suite customer: Starting in early May, you’ll be able to sign up for Meet as long as you have a Gmail account. Some of the features you can enjoy include the ability to create... source https://www.engadget.com/google-meet-free-gmail-account-100034641.html

Dice is moving on from ‘Battlefield V’ and ‘Battlefront II’

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Battlefield V may be slowly winding to a close, but developer DICE has assured players that a new Battlefield game is on the way, and will arrive in 2021. The company has revealed that this month’s The Battle on Scarif update will be the last for Sta... source https://www.engadget.com/new-battlefield-game-arrive-2021-094203377.html

Apple will pay $18 million to settle broken FaceTime suit

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Apple has agreed to pay $18 million to settle a case accusing the company of intentionally breaking FaceTime on iOS 6. The class action lawsuit, which was filed in 2017, argued that the tech giant disabled the video-calling applicationn on the iPhone... source https://www.engadget.com/apple-settle-broken-face-time-suit-074012321.html

Universal's plans for more 'premium VOD' push AMC to drop its movies

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Earlier today the Wall Street Journal reported that a direct-to-home release of Trolls World Tour earlier this month netted Universal more revenue than the box office release of the first Trolls film. According to its sources, the $20-per-rental sche... source https://www.engadget.com/trolls-word-tour-pvod-amc-062745004.html